Attention Virginia Farm/Training Center Owners: The Virginia Equine Alliance has contracted with Chmura Economics & Analytics to put together an economic impact study on horse racing in the Commonwealth. The findings will provide valuable data that can be utilized in many ways including future legislative initiatives.
All Virginia farm owners will be contacted by Chmura via e-mail and phone from a period in late August through mid-September to learn more about each farm’s operation. It is important that every person… Continue reading →
Races tonite (Wednesday August 5) at Colonial Downs will be taken off the turf and held over the dirt track, and post time has been moved up to 5:00 PM from its originally scheduled 5:30 PM start time.
Seven of the nine races were scheduled to be run over Colonial’s Secretariat Turf Course — the second, and fourth thru ninth. The first and third had already been scheduled to run on dirt.
Jockey Trevor McCarthy reached the winners circle five times Sunday evening at Colonial Downs and in doing so, powered past Forest Boyce to take over top spot in the track’s rider standings.
The 26-year-old native of Wilmington, Delaware won the jockey title at Colonial last year as the New Kent track returned to action after a six-year absence. He entered Sunday’s card — a makeup from last Monday’s cancellation — with five wins from 16 starts, just two days into… Continue reading →
The following was written by Betsy Burke Parker and appeared in an e-mail newsletter to the steeplechase community. The theme is “Legends of Steeplechasing” and title is, “Jill Byrne: The story of me and my Dad & how it come to be that I am here at Colonial Downs”.
A titan in a time of jump racing giants, Virginia-based trainer Peter Howe knew the importance of bloodlines in the thoroughbred world By Betsy Burke Parker.
What the Beep pulled off an upset with a one-length victory over heavy favorite Tan and Tight in the $60,000 Camptown Stakes for Virginia-bred or -sired fillies and mares July 29 at Colonial Downs. The homebred daughter of Great Notion was ridden by Forest Boyce for trainer Karen Godsey who bred and broke the 5-year-old mare on her Eagle Point Farm.
What The Beep rolled to victory in the $60,000 Camptown Stakes. Photo by Coady Photography.
Here is a series of photos from opening night festivities at Colonial Downs from Tuesday July 28. The “spectator-free” meet was delayed by one day when Monday’s originally scheduled card was postponed due to extreme heat advisories. Photos supplied by Coady Photography and the Virginia Equine Alliance.
Colonial Downs races on opening night — and throughout the 2020 season — will be held without spectators.Skies of different colors were evident trackside as neighboring thunderstorms avoided the track itself .… Continue reading →
Guillaume rallied on the outside and overtook Merchant of Hope in the final strides of the $40,000 Hansel Stakes for Virginia Certified 2-year-olds on the Tuesday night opening night card at Colonial Downs. The son of Hard Spun is owned by DARRS Inc., trained by Mike Stidham and was ridden by Trevor McCarthy, the same owner-trainer-jockey combination who were leaders at the 2019 Colonial meeting.
The victory was third of four on the night for McCarthy and second for… Continue reading →
UPDATE AS OF TUESDAY 7/28 AT 9 AM — Post time for Tuesday’s opening day card is now 6:30 instead of 5:30 PM. Safety First as Due to Heat Conditions
(NEW KENT, Va.) – July 27, 2020 – In an abundance of caution, Colonial Downs Group is postponing today’s opening card at the Colonial Downs racetrack in New Kent County. With heat index forecasts over 100 degrees, the change is to safeguard the health of people working, transportation of… Continue reading →
River Deep, winner of the 2019 Edward P. Evans Stakes, will try to defend his title Wednesday (July 29) at Colonial Downs against six other Virginia-bred/sired horses including Todd Pletcher trainee Largent and 2019 Jamestown Stakes winner Embolden. The $60,000 one-mile turf stakes has been carded as the eighth race.
Morgan Ford Farms’ River Deep won last year’s Evans courtesy of a disqualification when initial first place finisher Speed Gracer was tagged for interference and placed fourth. Forest Boyce will… Continue reading →
UPDATE AS OF MONDAY JULY 27 AT 1o:30 AM. The Opening day card at Colonial Downs has been cancelled due to extreme heat expected. The card has been rescheduled for Sunday August 2. Horsemen will need to re-enter horses —they will be taken Tuesday July 27. Three non-betting steeplechase races will precede Sunday’s pari-mutuel card beginning at 3:30 PM.
One hundred and eight horses were entered for opening night’s originally scheduled (Monday) card with $316,000 in purse money… Continue reading →
By Betsy Burke Parker.
